tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82710537214401563012012-02-01T20:03:31.674-06:00Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.comBlogger5221100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-20979509290543228252012-01-23T21:01:00.001-06:002012-01-23T21:06:24.196-06:00

Years ago, before the girls were born and when I was still eating gluten, DH and I went to a mom and pop Italian restaurant on a whim. We had gone 30 minutes inland from the shore where we lived to a rural part of the state with lovely one-lane winding roads. (Boy I miss those curvy tree-lined roads, so much fun to drive!) We'd make the out-of-the-way trip to a special mom and pop brewing

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-6095553613463392912012-01-20T15:38:00.003-06:002012-01-20T17:57:51.045-06:00

Continuing my slide into assimilation, the other night this born and bred northeasterner made cream gravy. I've only ever had it once before when a friend made it for me last year (she's pretty determined to speed along my habituation!). I'd previously turned my nose up at the stuff but since she made it, I had to try it. It was okay - not bad, but still a little foreign.The decision to cave

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-80375441940644514792012-01-18T21:39:00.003-06:002012-01-18T22:37:16.229-06:00

For birthdays growing up, my mom let my brother and I pick whatever dinner and dessert we wanted and she'd make it for us. My brother and I always picked lasagna and lemon meringue pie. We didn't do birthday parties or even many gifts. The birthday dinner was the highlight of the day, more so because Mom made it from scratch. It was special because of the love she put into it (and also quite

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-60815901470644372032012-01-16T10:07:00.008-06:002012-01-20T18:02:49.894-06:00

Where is winter? It's felt like spring for half the month already. The daffodils are sprouting and wasps are flying underneath the overhangs. The closest I can come to snow here lately is to make Cocoa Snowflakes. I know that's a far cry from the real cold stuff but...they're chocolate, and what's not to like about that?To make these egg-free I used prune butter, which makes chocolate baked

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-71301162184173958402012-01-05T11:28:00.012-06:002012-01-20T18:02:21.374-06:00

This is a sweet (but not overly sweet) version of Chex Mix (for a savory version, click here). It smells fabulous in the oven and if you don't watch it, it will be gone in no time flat. I used chopped almonds and dried cranberries this time, but any nut (or no nuts if you prefer) or dried fruit (cherries, blueberries, snipped apricots, chopped figs, etc.) would be good. If you wanted to get a

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-52670399303686035132012-01-02T10:40:00.005-06:002012-01-02T11:25:55.717-06:00

When DH and I were first married he bought Essential Pasta and Pizza on sale at the book store for $5. It was a great investment - some of my favorite soup and pasta recipes come from this book. One of my very favorite dishes that DH used to make for special occasions was pasta with walnut sauce. It was rich and amazing with generous amounts of butter and cream. As our 15th anniversary nears,

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-58275061094122160622011-12-29T14:27:00.005-06:002011-12-29T14:39:21.219-06:00

Guess what I found only a few days before Christmas? So Delicious Coconut Nog! I was so excited! It tastes just like egg nog but without egg, dairy or soy. And I can say that it is in fact delicious. A little sweet, but delicious. Today I made some French Toast following the guidelines on the carton - 1 very ripe mashed banana plus a cup of nog, dip slices of bread in this mixture and let

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-17793911389832083132011-12-26T20:15:00.003-06:002011-12-27T19:32:26.741-06:00

Happy Boxing Day! I must announce with some dismay that I am being assimilated. I've been trying to stave this off for years, flinging the word "wicked" around with abandon even in the face of raised eyebrows, to counter the effects of the "y'alls" I hear every day.A friend: "How'd y'all enjoy your weekend?"Me: "It was wicked good!"Sadly, I have succumbed to the quirky charms of where we now

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-67267493566235810972011-12-23T19:54:00.005-06:002011-12-23T20:33:37.071-06:00

(The half-finished scarf is number 19 since October!)I know. You are looking at the above picture thinking I've finally lost my mind. I have no time to do much of anything lately and yet, I've been crocheting my brains out making homemade gifts for Christmas. Every year I say I will stop making homemade gifts and every year I make them. You may think I'm a glutton for punishment, and you may

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-40747612847272449632011-12-21T20:46:00.006-06:002011-12-21T21:11:23.483-06:00

It's the holidays and I have yet to make a single batch of Christmas cookies. I've been so strapped for time lately that the girls have had nothing but boxed cereal for breakfast for days upon days. In this house, that's just not popular. The girls have been begging for muffins and I could not ignore their plaintive pleas any longer. Late last night I finally made a batch. These are good

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-64169480323028265142011-12-20T22:15:00.001-06:002011-12-21T15:16:11.180-06:00

We are knee-deep into the holiday break, and we are stuck in the Christmas Crazies. Somehow this surprises me every year. Silly me expects that as Anna gets older, she will miraculously transition smoothly between being at school and being at home. Normally she does really well, segueing between the school week and the weekend and back again without any major issues. But without fail since

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-68505353558204991502011-12-13T19:40:00.001-06:002011-12-13T19:53:09.290-06:00

I have not baked anything interesting lately. This is stressing me out, since Christmas is just around the corner. I have not had the time - I've been working. Yes, that's right...I landed a part-time retail job - a year ago! I've been snapping up as many hours as possible during the holiday season while they are available. This is good for the bills, but not so good for the baking. Sigh.I

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-84118104012877522052011-12-08T12:06:00.002-06:002011-12-08T12:15:15.495-06:00

I've been busy sprouting things in my new spiffy Victorio three level sprouter! I love it - it does not take up a lot of space in my small kitchen and I can keep the moisture level consistent so my sprouts are neither moldy nor dry.My favorite thing to sprout so far are alfalfa seeds simply because Anna loves them so much. She'll grab great hulking handfuls of them and eat them on the run. I'm

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-90049864867749027782011-11-28T22:40:00.008-06:002011-11-30T09:37:27.026-06:00

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, I promise. I just cannot seem to get my feet underneath me. I'm feeling very busy and very scattered, but in a good way. Life is busy, but good.In late August DH built raised garden beds and we planted squash. Crazy, I know, but we thought what the heck? It's been so hot since May, maybe the plants will produce squash in the milder temps of

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-37663134705688482342011-11-16T07:17:00.001-06:002011-11-16T07:17:31.157-06:00

Anna's third grade class is collecting family holiday recipes for a little recipe book they are putting together. I had the arduous task of picking a simple favorite recipe (most of my favorite holiday recipes are a little involved for third graders). I settled on this recipe - I've made it every year for many years, and every year it's gone in no time flat. It's easy, addictive and

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-19655292734968470632011-11-08T21:46:00.002-06:002011-11-08T22:54:55.342-06:00

Anna and I are both sick. So I made a big pot of soup for dinner, and to complete the meal-in-a-bowl, I made dumplings to go with the soup. It was fabulous....comfort food always hits the spot, but even more so when you are feeling under the weather.Dumplings for Soup1/2 cup brown rice flour1/3 cup tapioca starch2 teaspoons dried parsely2 teaspoons baking powder1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram1/4

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-59950126194106341362011-11-01T11:59:00.009-05:002011-11-01T13:45:39.465-05:00

It's that time of year! Time to bake with pumpkin, my very favorite autumn baking squash! I have been dying to bake with pumpkin since diving into egg-free baking (a year and a half ago, wow the time flies!) but have mostly held off until now. Why? Some things just take time to knock around in my head before I can do anything with them. I love pumpkin breads and pies so much that I didn't

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-80149372522322441612011-10-24T21:15:00.006-05:002011-10-31T16:47:29.687-05:00

So I have fallen in love with dosa (lentil and rice flat breads). I love them at any time of the day, stuffed with anything (especially steamed veggies) or just plain with a bit of salt. And it got me to thinking...why can't I use another grain in place of the rice? Such as...millet? For a little variety, no? It took a bit of searching, but I came across a recipe for Fox Millet Dosa (Korra

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-6953655499089252082011-10-18T22:11:00.015-05:002011-10-19T10:05:43.342-05:00

Recently I visited a friend who treated me to what she called dosas, which are South Indian lentil and rice flat breads - basically, savory pancakes or crepes. I had been telling her about reading Wild Fermentation, making my own yogurt and trying to decide what fermented food to try next. She jumped up and insisted that I try her dosas, which are a fermented food and very easy to make. She

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-25704213573220395802011-10-10T21:46:00.003-05:002011-10-10T22:56:50.979-05:00

My mom had a knack for driving me batty when I was a kid. When I was seeking information (which I'm sure she considered "pestering"), she'd give me non-answers."Mom, where are you going?""Crazy! Want to come?""No, Mom! Where are you going?!""Crazy! Bye!"That little exchange in particular would throw me into fits. Here's another good one."Mom, what's for dinner?""Stuff!""Really? Come on, Mom

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-27852991657573952912011-10-04T13:39:00.006-05:002011-10-13T21:42:17.436-05:00

Living with ADHD my whole life, you'd think that I'd have a pretty good clue about it. But I've lived with ADHD without knowing it and have only been recently enlightened by a diagnosis. My focus for the past several years has been very much on understanding autism/Aspergers and how it pertains to Anna. So with Megan's ADHD diagnosis I've been playing catch-up. I've been reading about it,

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-36757180241202175272011-09-21T14:13:00.006-05:002011-09-26T23:31:47.882-05:00

I have been stuck in a rut as far as meals are concerned lately. One reason for this is because I've been introducing the girls to new foods and want to reinforce the idea that these are not just novel foods but regular on-the-menu foods, such as sauteed spinach with onions and beet greens with garlic (can you believe they eat beet greens? I can't!). So I keep presenting them with the same

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-56537801588367684822011-09-14T21:26:00.001-05:002011-09-14T21:33:02.681-05:00

Life has been SO busy lately that I've had this recipe laying around for a whole month. What a crazy month it's been. This lasagna dish was a challenge - for a dinner where all in attendance had food allergies and sensitivities, this dish needed to be free of gluten, casein, soy, corn, egg and yeast. I could not use Daiya because it has yeast in it. How could I make a lasagna with no cheesy

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-34335910189407993552011-09-06T21:13:00.006-05:002011-09-06T21:23:08.949-05:00

(Yogurt drizzled with maple syrup...yum, yum.)Well, I cannot believe how busy I've been these past couple of weeks! Many apologies for being so quiet lately. I have had NO time to post recipes, what with the start of school, meeting with Megan's school counselor and trying to pin down her teacher for a discussion about her classroom accommodations (sadly, the discussion still has not

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-53220040122581369462011-08-24T20:20:00.002-05:002011-08-24T20:48:06.991-05:00

After finding myself with an abundance of yogurt recently, I decided to make scones. Yogurt scones have always sounded very appealing, especially slathered with jam. These scones turned out nice and dry and not too sweet (the way I like them), but if you like scones that resemble muffins a little more and are a little sweeter, then add more yogurt and a little more maple syrup for a softer,

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-64969740145555463252011-08-24T12:33:00.006-05:002011-08-24T20:33:02.203-05:00

Megan has been breaking things lately with regularity. I don't think she's doing it on purpose. I think she's trying to figure out how things work and she wants to do it herself. In the process, she doesn't play with toys the way they were meant to be played with, she takes them apart and then she loses the pieces. Also in this process, she is frustrating all the other members of the family.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-71052537293516867542011-08-21T20:10:00.008-05:002011-08-21T23:03:50.847-05:00

I recently tried my hand at homemade yogurt. I've been very into DIY lately and I chose to follow the recipe found in Wild Fermenation (making yogurt using an insulated cooler instead of a yogurt maker), substituting canned full-fat coconut milk for the cow's milk. I also read with interest the process for making coconut milk yogurt here at The GFCF Lady. Making my own yogurt turned out to be

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-22143539254268279842011-08-19T20:13:00.003-05:002011-08-19T21:51:18.823-05:00

Our summer of freedom is coming to a close. Or should I say, our summer of slacking? We've been busy in many ways, including being busy slacking off. We ripped up the carpets and refinished our hardwood floors, the girls took swimming lessons and Anna attended social skills camp. And in-between, when we were not shopping for groceries or swimming at the local pool, we were reading. I was

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-72729795710000243782011-08-15T22:52:00.007-05:002011-09-25T19:12:05.412-05:00

Recently a friend came over for lunch. I had promised her vegetable spring rolls (next time I'll make these) and at the last minute I forgot that I had run out of purchased Sweet Chili Sauce! So I threw some together from scratch (with the help of some purchased Chili Garlic Sauce). It came out really good, better than store-bought! Next time I'll make it from scratch for real, with fresh

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-15077284434920187882011-08-11T10:46:00.011-05:002011-08-11T20:28:48.305-05:00

(These cookies look like truffles. Now that I think about it, they'd be cute rolled in dutch cocoa. Now that I really think about it, they'd be great dipped in chocolate, on a stick!) It was the motor. Our A/C motor up and kicked the bucket the other day. Even with the fans running it was so hot in the house, and it was even hotter outside. I like to joke with the girls that Sugar, since she

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-6497568662086712482011-08-09T15:14:00.004-05:002011-08-11T20:57:40.415-05:00

(The black eyed peas and roasted garlic give this dip a lovely subtle smoky flavor.) It is over 100 degrees today. It's been like that for over a month. This summer has been just Too. Darn. Hot. And guess what we woke up to at 3am last night? A horrible squealing sound coming from the closet where our A/C until lives. It sounded like a cross between a fire alarm and a car's fan belt

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-60022918920429736772011-08-02T12:47:00.004-05:002011-08-05T08:01:32.387-05:00

Because you can never have too many chocolate chip cookie recipes, here is another. They are crispy and reminiscent of Chips Ahoy, and they are good candidates for ice cream sandwiches!2 cups GF flour blend1/2 tsp. xanthan gum1 tsp. baking powder3/4 tsp. baking soda1/2 tsp. salt3/4 cup palm shortening1/2 cup brown sugar1/2 cup white sugar1/4 cup applesaucegenerous 1 tsp. vanilla extract1 cup

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-89756515556301082322011-07-28T20:27:00.003-05:002011-07-28T20:37:41.552-05:00

Recently I splurged on a bunch of pretty rainbow-colored carrots with beautiful green tops. A friend told me you can use the greens to make pesto, so that's what I decided to do with them instead of feeding the composter. I was afraid the tops would be very bitter, so I scoured the net to find recipes featuring carrot greens. Turns out, you can use them to flavor stocks, accent salads, turn

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-58693265725705978762011-07-28T19:19:00.002-05:002011-07-28T22:01:16.680-05:00

The other day I intended to make peach pie, but I ran out of time. So I threw the filling into a baking dish, topped it with Nut Free Crumb Topping, and baked it at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes and called it dessert. It was so good we called it breakfast the next day, too.As an aside...supposedly, peaches are easiest to peel when you dunk them into boiling water for a few seconds. The skin

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-45913942443681596172011-07-27T11:52:00.005-05:002011-07-27T14:15:33.611-05:00

I grew up with Boston Brown Bread. It is a steamed bread traditionally served with baked beans, but I liked it better served plain for breakfast with butter or cream cheese. I only ever had it from a can (B&M) and for me it was an acquired taste. It was dense and very filling, tasting strongly of wheat and rye and molasses. As is the case with so many other foods I introduce my girls to, I

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-81790292127200709562011-07-20T10:55:00.004-05:002011-07-27T12:20:37.438-05:00

Blueberries are on sale! I love blueberries in baked goods and decided to make some blueberry kuchen for breakfast. I decided to follow a Penzey's recipe, which converted to being gluten free and vegan splendidly. It was easy to make, taking only a few minutes to throw together, and the end result is delicious. My pictures don't do it justice.For this recipe, I decided to replace the egg with

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-48013038928689835712011-07-19T15:43:00.004-05:002011-07-19T23:06:20.503-05:00

(Anna's birthday cake - 3 layer chocolate with coconut frosting.)...and she's so stinkin' cute! I have not written much lately about Anna. Part of that was because Megan needed a lot of attention this past year, and Anna had a really, really good year. Second grade was just phenomenal. Her communication skills, emotional regulation, social skills and academics all improved. Honestly, she's

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-3259582504086972632011-07-12T10:02:00.001-05:002011-08-04T20:53:25.893-05:00

Last week I tried making Gluten Free Gobsmacked's Radish Cakes. I also tried roasting them as she mentioned she'd done. As interesting as these things sounded, I'm just not sure I'm a fan of radishes. However, I am a fan of Soy-Ginger Dipping Sauce! I have modified Kate's recipe to be soy-free. The coconut aminos make the sauce taste very slightly like coconut, but it's not distracting. In

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-25928287329257015772011-07-06T15:58:00.002-05:002011-07-07T08:08:02.552-05:00

I braved the temperature (hot, hot, hot!) and turned on the oven today to make biscuits. I had leftover mashed sweet potatoes - they gave my biscuits a lovely orange color with a hint of a bite. It was definitely worth it to turn on the oven. We'll have biscuits with dinner tonight and we'll split them tomorrow and enjoy them as sandwiches for lunch. What to use as a filling? I'm thinking

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-83873189489981268642011-07-02T22:15:00.004-05:002011-07-02T22:34:58.528-05:00

The other day I harvested two medium beets from the garden. For dinner I decided to cook them on the stove top because it's really far too hot to roast them in the oven. They turned out quite good sauteed with garlic, white wine and their leafy green tops. I regret not planting more beets, because they are so delicious! They were also different than what I can buy in the stores - a softer red

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-13558775893154248612011-06-28T19:51:00.002-05:002011-06-28T20:27:44.865-05:00

(Pasta tossed with sauce - perfect kid food!)I went grocery shopping the other day and noticed that prices have spiked. Cereal we used to buy for $4.29 is now $4.99 on sale. Meat and fish are $1 more expensive per pound. Produce prices are inching up too. I didn't buy the cereal...and declared to DH that in an effort to save a little money, we are going to have Meatless Mondays (and maybe

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-11400205848800806932011-06-28T19:15:00.004-05:002011-07-13T11:31:56.949-05:00

My mom is seriously awesome. I called her tonight and it was late. She drops everything she might be doing to talk to me. She has always done that. When I need to talk, she is always there to listen. I still remember vividly...I called her when I was in college. That first semester was heinous...all the changes...as much as is was time for me to leave and spread my wings, I had a terrible

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-9871004137064225272011-06-24T16:25:00.002-05:002011-06-24T16:30:38.913-05:00

I made onion rings for DH recently as a special snack while he was working from home late into the night. He about bowed down and kissed my feet - these onion rings get the DH stamp of approval. I did exactly the same thing with them as with Fried Pickles and they turned out just as crisp with a satisfying crunch. I don't know why it took me so long to try making them vegan - egg is simply not

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-47983455354973159102011-06-24T09:38:00.019-05:002011-06-24T13:15:04.135-05:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks. After many months (almost a whole year) of Anna enduring post-nasal drip, a stuffy nose and a persistent cough without being able to pinpoint the culprit, I decided to rip out the carpet and refinish our hardwood floors. The only way I was able to convince DH that we needed to bite the bullet on this and just do it is to link the old carpet to Anna's

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-4634236280813436982011-06-21T20:11:00.005-05:002011-06-21T20:50:42.087-05:00

The heat is finally taking its toll on our little garden. We've had August temperatures in June and no matter how much we water the plants, they fry in the sun. We've had several days of triple digit heat already, and summer has just begun!We managed to enjoy two months of greens before they bolted. DH planted some more seeds a couple of weeks ago, but the seedlings are suffering. I think

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-61348209919723863752011-06-08T13:35:00.004-05:002011-06-08T13:51:14.123-05:00

This dish is made with the vegetables and herbs from our garden, with the exception of the garlic. I'll have to try growing garlic next year, after we make our garden bigger again! I made this last night with just the tomatoes and served it on top of sardines, it was quite good. I liked it so much that I made it again today and added cucumbers from our neighbor's garden and served it on top of

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-50438603341107647012011-06-06T15:07:00.001-05:002011-06-06T15:14:07.942-05:00

One of my favorite cookies has always been Oatmeal Raisin, and I've always added chocolate chips to the cookie dough (because life is better with chocolate!). I don't use oats anymore, preferring to use uncooked buckwheat hot cereal in its place (it has more character and a nifty crispy crunch), but you can use a cup to a cup and a half of gluten-free oats instead if you like. I've also cut way

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-21788083561897891832011-06-04T22:27:00.012-05:002011-06-06T15:29:45.865-05:00

Livin' by the grace of Godat the pace of the Devil, life is hard, we speedballin'...Ah good Lord, my soul is burnin', about to catch fire!I'm overheated, about to catch fire - hah!I can't help myself, I'm on fire!I'm on fire!Outkast, Speedballin'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The above lyrics illustrate how I feel like I lived all my life. For me, that's normal...all revved up inside...alive. But you

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-48676207520543181442011-05-31T13:36:00.006-05:002011-06-08T12:51:31.200-05:00

Scones are really not a fancy food. I think they are a rather humble cross between a biscuit and a muffin. They are easy to throw together but make such an impression! My girls always get so excited when I make scones, so I've been throwing together different combinations to change things up a bit. Here for your consideration are Ginger Banana Scones. The ginger here is subtle, you can

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-19757686062854044332011-05-24T17:51:00.005-05:002011-05-24T18:12:59.413-05:00

The National Weather Service is warning of a "significant severe weather episode" for my area tonight. I hate significant severe weather episodes. The Weather Channel has this nifty Tor-Con thing that predicts the likelihood of tornadoes. Well, our area is a 9 out of 10. I hate being at 9 out of 10. Although I suppose that's better than being at 10.Whenever we get storms I can't take my eyes

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-59195254622563718932011-05-23T20:41:00.005-05:002011-05-25T17:53:48.074-05:00

DH and I harvested a big bunch of kale from our garden yesterday. For dinner, I sauteed one chopped onion with one dried Sanaam chile in two tablespoons of olive oil until just translucent. Then I added chopped fresh kale and about 1/4 cup of dry white whine, seasoned it all with salt and pepper, tossed it, covered it and let it cook for 5 minutes. Then I removed the cover and let it cook

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-26781782655247793682011-05-21T21:37:00.007-05:002011-06-08T12:51:49.443-05:00

Look at the fabulous crisp edges! I'm so excited!Blueberries have been on sale recently and I've been busy making batches of blueberry pancakes on the weekends. After a year of playing with gluten free and vegan pancakes, I've hit on a combination that I really, really like. The edges of these pancakes get crisp while the centers stay light and airy - I really think they are perfect! The

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-43223480556625776642011-05-18T12:58:00.004-05:002011-05-18T13:19:29.598-05:00

This dip so good it's hard not to inhale it all in one sitting. We like it with crackers and crudites. It would make an excellent spread for a sandwich, too. I like to make it with pine nuts when I have them, but it's not necessary. You can use breadcrumbs instead of the Rice Chex, start with 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and add more as needed. Rice Chex do fine and they are much easier for me

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-35495867602611682022011-05-15T20:02:00.000-05:002011-05-15T20:06:48.363-05:00

Brown chickpea sprouts about 5 days old.I am continuing to sprout things, this time around it's random beans. My friend gave me samplings of no-name beans from an Indian market she frequents. One of the samples was a bag of small brown chickpeas, the others I have no idea what they are...one of the beans is the size of a chickpea but perfectly round and a cream color. Another is just like

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-75604780174790100432011-05-15T19:50:00.001-05:002011-05-15T19:51:15.867-05:00

Spaghetti with clam sauce is the girls' new favorite food! I can hardly stand how cool that is. They are becoming more adventurous with food...if it's in the garden they'll eat it! If it sprouts, they'll try it! I was very pleased when they wanted to try this dish. Maybe they'll grow up to be chefs...with their food allergies, that might not be a bad idea. Anyway, they both really liked the

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-30371773404262530022011-05-10T22:15:00.006-05:002011-06-08T12:52:12.700-05:00

Recently I've been playing around with omitting gums in favor of pectin out of interest. Why pectin? Similar to xanthan gum and guar gum, it is used as a binder in many commercially prepared foods. It is also being added to some commercial gluten free baking mixes in addition to xanthan gum. A friend tells me she bought one of these commercial mixes with pectin in it and the dough it produced

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-85386248406660558712011-05-04T19:49:00.002-05:002011-05-04T19:54:47.668-05:00

The other week out of the blue in a random conversation, a friend mentioned fried pickles and how much she liked them. And I suddenly, fervently needed to have some. So salty and crispy and sour, fried pickles may be my favorite fried food. Not that I do fried food much. Well aside from potato chips, but those don't count. Yes, my friends, fried pickles are simply divine. If you are a fan

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-49618689369293097192011-05-03T22:20:00.002-05:002011-05-03T22:42:57.968-05:00

I've been quiet lately. My apologies. There's a lot going on in my head, which translates into not much getting done around the house. For two weeks now, scribbled notes on fried pickles, curried red lentil dip and buckwheat raisin cookies have been laying on the counter. I managed to make currant scones last night and they were fairly awesome but a little flat, so I want to make them again

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-78709413753234130732011-04-30T20:36:00.004-05:002011-04-30T20:44:29.361-05:00

Our garden is growing!Anna is enjoying the snap peas...I am waiting for the cherry tomatoes to ripen...and the girls have harvested their first salad for dinner.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-78127787114012147412011-04-20T18:01:00.006-05:002011-04-20T20:41:23.647-05:00

(There are not many better things in life than a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of milk!Featured here is So Delicious Coconut Milk.)Okay. Not to toot my own horn (although I kinda do, don't I, by blogging?). But seriously, I just made what may be my best batch of gluten free & vegan cookies yet! These cookies are soft, not too sweet, with a double punch of chocolate that simply begs for a

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-62304008201716185402011-04-18T20:12:00.005-05:002011-04-18T20:30:00.031-05:00

Ever since a good friend gave us some of his excess lentil sprouts last summer (which were super delicious), I've been meaning to sprout my own. It's been several months and I finally got around to it. In all honesty, a friend who is greener than I am showed me how and talked me through it - apparently, she's been sprouting seeds and grains and legumes for years. Well, now I want to jump on

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-88628208755198846132011-04-16T20:55:00.005-05:002011-04-16T21:57:59.657-05:00

I have a few weaknesses. One is for cookbooks. Another is for pretty produce. Imagine my intrigue when I saw golden beets the other day! They were such a lovely color and they were not any more expensive than red beets - I had to buy them. I brought them home, lopped off the greens and roasted the roots. While the beets were roasting, I sauteed the greens* with olive oil, minced garlic,

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-40984952296159609262011-04-11T22:28:00.012-05:002011-04-12T22:17:41.982-05:00

I have been too busy to play with new recipes for baked goods recently (though hopefully soon that will change, because I'm dying to tackle crumpets!). Instead, I have been having fun cooking vegetables. In the past week I've made beets, beet greens, kale, cabbage, cauliflower soup (which Megan begs me to make) and now, turnip greens. I've been meaning to try turnip greens for awhile since

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-84105087221140072072011-04-07T21:08:00.002-05:002011-04-08T09:42:11.213-05:00

Our weather here has been see-sawing between temps in the 60's to the 80's. People have been running around flaunting flip flops and tank tops one day in 85 degree heat, and then...psych! The next morning day it's 45 degrees. Soon the temps will even out and summer will be here. And what better way is there to welcome summer than with a glass of homemade lemonade?1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-50177628802645783012011-04-04T19:54:00.007-05:002011-04-04T21:10:05.980-05:00

I love soups and curries. DH bought an Indian cook book a year ago and has been working through different Indian-inspired recipes - one of the things I like most is the addition of dried red chilies to the soups and curries he has been making. He makes a mean lentil dish with chilies and spinach...it's so spicy and addictive that I've been known to hide it from him and keep it to myself. I'd

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-15363565803371207762011-03-27T19:26:00.011-05:002011-03-27T20:05:23.098-05:00

DH makes really yummy potatoes. They are really addictive and even though they have a little heat to them, the girls (not lovers of heat or spice at all) really like them. What's even better than these potatoes are the potato skins DH saves and whips up for a snack at night. He's allowed me to share his recipe since it's really too good to keep to ourselves!Now, I've been trying for years to

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-82212558694510938412011-03-22T18:47:00.009-05:002011-03-22T19:01:05.064-05:00

I love school projects.For your consideration today, in honor of Amelia Earhart (the subject of Anna's book report), is a Hot Dog Airplane (made with two Applegate Farms Hot Dogs) on a cheese runway (made with one halved Galaxy Rice Vegan slice of American Flavor cheese). Ms. Earhart's name is written in Muir Glen organic ketchup!

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-19472039313132840822011-03-19T22:14:00.004-05:002011-03-19T23:28:51.706-05:00

Anna woke up with a fever tonight. It's not an incredibly high fever, it might be 101 - 102 (hard to gauge because she won't close her mouth completely with a thermometer under her tongue). Her cheeks are bright red and she feels very warm to the touch. I've given her some Tylenol to bring the fever down, but she still feels very warm.Anna's fever doesn't worry me. What's freaking me out is

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-71380862970682467392011-03-15T16:32:00.013-05:002011-03-15T16:59:59.770-05:00

It's been a week since I posted my last recipe (Ginger Lemon Tea) and although I have been dutifully drinking said tea, I'm still sick. I think it's a sinus infection, because for two days my upper teeth and gums have hurt along with my sinuses. While ginger tea is tasty, what I really crave right now are onions. Not only do onions taste good, they have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-59787032908641793262011-03-15T16:24:00.009-05:002011-03-16T09:43:21.376-05:00

I ain't happy, I'm feeling gladI got sunshine in a bagI'm useless, but not for longThe future is comin' onGorillaz, Clint Eastwood~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It's official. Megan has been diagnosed with ADHD - Inattentive Type. The anxiety has in large part resolved, but it's always going to be something we'll have to keep an eye on. Even so, having a correct diagnosis is a huge relief. After Spring

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-61128897520352112122011-03-08T21:22:00.005-06:002011-03-08T21:46:30.616-06:00

I am sick. DH and the girls have done nothing for the past three weeks except cough, hack, and sneeze all over me. All over the house. Even all over the cat. Now I have whatever it is they gave me. My mom has praised the virtues of fresh ginger and lemon tea for years and now I feel just terrible enough to try it. I'm not a huge fan of ginger (not even ginger ale) but tonight I threw some fresh

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-31708408729377519752011-03-03T10:17:00.008-06:002011-03-08T21:22:16.917-06:00

I make pizza every Friday. This is my very favorite pizza crust. I adapted a recipe for Urugayan baking powder pizza dough, and my gluten free version tastes just like the original. What's great is that it takes practically no fuss at all to make. It's fast, it's easy, and it hold up well to many toppings. It's not chewy, not gummy, not gritty or like cardboard. You can change its personality by

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-53719386950971095802011-03-01T11:43:00.007-06:002011-03-02T11:53:34.594-06:00

(Thank goodness we are not allergic to the cat. Having a pet is good for our health!) It has been almost 10 months since eliminating egg from the girls' diets and embarking on Anna's elimination diet. How has life changed for us in these past 10 months?First, Megan is breathing. There have been no asthma attacks, no bronchitis, no pneumonia (so far! Fingers crossed!). And no eczema, either. Her

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-9626862425780993122011-02-24T17:57:00.011-06:002011-02-24T20:17:25.753-06:00

Calcium has been on my mind a lot lately. We don't do dairy (or soy), which cuts a lot of calcium out of our diet. Or does it? The more I think of all the greens we eat around here, the less concerned I am about our calcium intake. I am challanged as to how to get the girls to eat calcium-rich greens like DH hnd I do, but they eat sardines, which are one of the foods that are very high in calcium

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-74293297321690711522011-02-22T20:10:00.015-06:002011-02-23T12:11:48.707-06:00

I have a friend whose husband is Vietnamese. They just recently traveled to Vietnam with his family to visit family members still living in Vietnam. One of the highlights of her trip was visiting an old great aunt who lives on a farm. Everything she made for them she grew or raised on her farm, and my friend said it was some of the most delicious food she's ever eaten. I am very slightly

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-9375280483666758832011-02-22T10:20:00.007-06:002011-02-22T19:12:57.200-06:00

A lot of exciting stuff has happened lately! In no particular order, here's the scoop.I am honored and humbled to have So Delicious and Daiya post links to a few of my recipes on their Facebook pages. How spiffy is that? Even spiffier is that their foods totally rock my kitchen. When we first went casein and soy-free, there were no dairy alternatives we could have that tasted good. But

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-12727796473935194102011-02-14T22:07:00.013-06:002011-02-14T23:06:27.640-06:00

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies - simple, subtle and sublime. What more can I say?Dry Ingredients2 cups GF flour blend (I used this one)1 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. baking powderdash salt1/2 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. nutmeg1/4 tsp. clovesWet Ingredients1/2 cup canola oil1/2 cup brown sugar1/4 cup maple syrup1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium)1 tsp. vanilla extractAdditions1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-37336265445242777982011-02-14T21:27:00.004-06:002011-02-14T21:38:01.440-06:00

DH and the girls took a trip to Whole Foods yesterday to pick out flowers for me for Valentine's Day. DH says the woman at the flower counter was at first charmed by the girls picking out flowers for their mom. She became considerably less charmed after Anna loudly exclaimed "These flowers are freaking expensive!".I enjoyed my Valentine's Day, especially my (too expensive) flowers. I hope you

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-76766340370040262142011-02-08T12:00:00.016-06:002011-07-22T10:50:50.623-05:00

I am reading Driven to Distraction, a book about recognizing ADD in children and adults. My educational consultant/former teacher/remediator of reading difficulties/ASD guru friend gave it to me after I went and observed Megan in her classroom and took detailed notes. My friend read my notes. She observed Megan at her office. You know what Megan's primary problem is? It's not anxiety.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-48035926625814976702011-02-07T19:53:00.010-06:002011-02-07T21:03:49.190-06:00

Cold weather makes me want to cook squash. Lots of squash. I've been buying butternut squash on a regular basis and we've been enjoying butternut fries (the only way the girls will eat butternut!), but I was hankering for something different. And then, what to my wondering eyes should appear but Ina's recipe for Pasta with Squash, Leak and Bacon! There was a butternut on my counter and a snow

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-67534070765226993002011-02-03T20:34:00.009-06:002011-06-08T12:53:09.430-05:00

Baby, it's cold outside! I have not felt this cold in a long time! On Monday night we got treated to sleet accumulations of about 2 inches. The girls are thrilled with the novelty of making sleet angels and sliding down the slick driveway in a cardboard box (because the once-a-year snow we get does not justify buying sleds). Driving around is another matter, the roads have been covered in ice

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-38470544934886200772011-01-27T20:59:00.006-06:002011-01-28T09:10:43.040-06:00

Yes, I'm feeling so giddy about my stove not exploding that I'm wasting time blogging about it! Since last week's oven fire I have not turned on the oven out of fear. Tonight I cleaned and scrubbed and took apart oven components to get to every last little bit of grease (DH is going to love all the stuff he has to bolt back into the oven when he gets home from work tonight). Baking soda and

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-58728859577450789482011-01-25T23:21:00.003-06:002011-02-08T20:48:56.450-06:00

"Can't get enough of that Fuh, Fuh, FunkCan't get enough of that Funk, Funk"Beastie Boys, Putting Shame in Your Game~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I feel like such a slacker. I haven't posted a recipe in over a week! Ugh! I have my reasons, though. These past couple of weeks have been...interesting. In regard to Megan, some migraine-inducing crap hit the fan right in the middle of some scary

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-58928310991669471642011-01-14T14:25:00.005-06:002011-01-14T14:34:26.830-06:00

This is one of my favorite cookie recipes. It's not too sweet or overly decadent. The original recipe calls for oats...you can use gluten free oats, but I've been using uncooked buckwheat hot cereal instead with great results. I used buckwheat to replace the oats in the cookies I made the other afternoon (sorry, no picture - they went fast!). The whole family really likes them, and I

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-91760050776418509392011-01-14T10:07:00.003-06:002011-01-14T14:37:59.742-06:00

Once a week I volunteer at Anna's school in the cafeteria. I like to take a half hour or so to sit with her and her friends during lunch. 7 year old kids are really cute - I can see why Anna's teacher loves teaching second grade. I might like it too, if I were inclined to teach. A few of them have missing teeth and lisps, and they are all friendly and earnest - I usually get shy smiles and "

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-62924579513741794402011-01-10T20:11:00.007-06:002011-06-08T12:53:29.911-05:00

This is a great savory muffin recipe, adapted from Better Homes and Gardens. They go well with just about anything - they are even good split and grilled for breakfast. I'll whip up these muffins when I have a yen for garlic bread and no time to make french bread. The girls like these muffins too...I should double the recipe because whenever I make them, they are gone in no time flat.1 tbsp.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-63988152076300996772011-01-10T14:08:00.009-06:002011-01-10T22:21:39.582-06:00

Last week DH and I celebrated our 14th anniversary. And by celebrate, I mean we had an argument...an argument that lasted three days. But in the middle of all this, on the day of our anniversary he got up at 5:30am to make me breakfast in bed. And the only thing I could think of when he presented me with eggs and bacon was "oh no, where did he get this bacon? Does it have nitrates?!". I

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-84242279895937377902011-01-08T08:27:00.007-06:002011-01-26T17:40:33.747-06:00

My dad made a trip to see us for Christmas this year. He is partial to Asian food, so we made sushi for Christmas. He mentioned tempura and suddenly, I really had to have some! My little sushi cookbook does not have a recipe for homemade tempura (it tells you to buy a package of the stuff, none of which are gluten free), but I found a promising candidate here at Chief Family Officer. I halved

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-1182151515411326572010-12-31T19:42:00.004-06:002011-06-08T12:53:59.117-05:00

My mom used to make Sloppy Joe Turnovers for my brother and I when we were kids. Back then she used sour cream and Hungry Jack Biscuits. Fond memories of growing up made me copy the recipe down before I got married (some people fill hope chests, I filled shoe boxes with recipes) and it's taken me oh...many years...to finally make it for my daughters. These meaty turnovers are definitely kids

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-80944829616730055062010-12-30T19:55:00.000-06:002010-12-30T19:59:56.029-06:00

This recipe for thumbprint cookies is from Ball's Blue Book of Canning and Preserving. Originally egg-free, I've made it gluten, casein and nut free as well. It is my family's favorite holiday cookie, and very easy to make!Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup Earth Balance Soy Free Margarine 2 tsp. vanilla extract 2 cups GF flour blend (I used this one) 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-1328592285727914232010-12-27T13:20:00.005-06:002010-12-30T20:02:12.997-06:00

While DH was in grad school we hung out with a core group of friends who all liked to cook and bake. One member of our group made truffles one Christmas- the most evil, rich and decadent bits of chocolate I've ever had - and he shared the recipe with me. This year I've made them dairy-free, and they are just as fabulous as they were then. The original recipe called for 2 pounds of chocolate, 1

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-45411720988444152352010-12-24T22:31:00.015-06:002010-12-24T22:54:10.641-06:00

It has been three years since I've had Scottish Shortbread! And finally, I've made some! The years just seem to go by so fast, and there are so many old recipes to convert. But it was shortbread's turn this year, since it is my mom's favorite. Now that she is also gluten free, I am very motivated to send these to her. I hope they travel well!2 1/2 cups GF flour blend (I used High Protein)1

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-61742449518468142932010-12-24T12:11:00.002-06:002012-01-16T13:26:13.183-06:00

Happy Holidays! Here is my version of gluten free and vegan gingersnaps...not only are they really good, they smell just like Christmas. I love that they are a snap to throw together - no chilling needed! The original recipe (which I modified slightly) can be found here. I have used prune butter to replace the egg (I love, love, love using prune butter in cookies!), but you may try applesauce

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-16284055559930801492010-12-21T21:29:00.006-06:002010-12-30T20:03:50.882-06:00

This Christmas, thanks to Soyatoo's Rice Whip whipped topping, I can enjoy a proper Irish Coffee! And the girls can enjoy a lovely hot cocoa! There is no casein, no gluten, no corn and contrary to its name, no soy in this stuff. And it tastes pretty darn good! It's not too sweet and it's light and fluffy like whipped cream should be. The price tag is a bit shocking, but for the holidays its

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-10231636234467815262010-12-20T09:54:00.002-06:002010-12-20T09:57:52.445-06:00

I cannot make fudge. Every year I try, and every year I fail. Fudge is not supposed to be terribly finicky, but I just cannot get it right. I can make a mean nut brittle, but forget about fudge. So I've given up on fudge! This Christmas instead, I will serve peppermint brownies! I've been tinkering with this recipe for months - unlike Cake Brownies, these brownies turn out rich, dense and

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-25124657827691647292010-12-10T17:16:00.005-06:002011-06-08T12:54:31.795-05:00

Here's another extreme makeover of one of my favorite dishes ever. It used to be Cranberry, Walnut and Blue Cheese Tart. It was savory and wicked good. Here I've replaced the wheat, cream, eggs, cheese and walnuts of the original and turned it into Cranberry, Pine Nut and Quinoa Tart, which makes it officially gluten free and vegan. Okay, I used millet for this one in the picture, but quinoa

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-77707911759020872652010-12-06T20:46:00.005-06:002010-12-06T21:24:37.708-06:00

Tian De Courge is easily my very favorite autumn dish. DH's aunt made it one Thanksgiving years ago and I've been making it ever since...well, ever since a couple of years ago. I've missed it, and this year instead of grumbling about it, I reworked it to be safe for my family. Although there is no chance the girls will go near this dish yet, I'm making it egg-free anyway against the time they

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-59591991720945756052010-11-29T12:13:00.008-06:002011-06-08T12:54:53.444-05:00

Sour Cream Apple Pie used to be one of my very favorite pies. I've missed it the past couple of years. But this year instead of pining for it, I decided to rework it with So Delicous Coconut Milk Yogurt! Happy day, my pie came out great! Instead of using sour cream, sugar, flour and egg in the filling I substituted coconut milk yogurt, maple syrup and granulated tapioca. Now that Anna is

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-11199834198775148812010-11-22T10:26:00.008-06:002011-08-20T00:52:27.792-05:00

I've been tagged by Ina at Gluten Free Delightfully Delicious! Actually she tagged me several days ago and I'm just getting to answer her questions now. Sorry about that, Ina, life has been busy here lately! First I will answer her questions, and then we'll get to a yummy yam recipe. Here goes! 1. What is your absolute favorite food? Wow, I'm really not sure I can pick just one. Greens,

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8271053721440156301.post-14316100987754914562010-11-21T09:32:00.004-06:002012-01-20T18:00:43.991-06:00

I found it! My favorite recipe for brined turkey! It was stuffed in someplace really random, and now that I have it in hand I'm going to post it right away so all I have to do next year is head to my blog to find it. Phew!This is the most fabulous recipe for brined turkey ever. I can't remember where it's from. I think my mom gave it to me as a newspaper clipping or something like that.

Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15749681987163728489noreply@blogger.com0